Pals tell all about counterfeiting

These kinds of counterfeiters aren't likely to keep U.S. Secret Service investigators up late.

First, one of them accidentally torched $400 worth of fake $20 bills in his microwave oven trying to improve their texture.

Then, when he and his buddy tried to pay for food at a restaurant drive-through at The Waterfront with two fake $20s, the cashier became suspicious and called police.

They then took off in a pickup truck, got arrested in Swissvale and ended up telling on the guy they say made the bills on his computer: John Woodyear, of Squirrel Hill, at the time a Penn State University student studying aerospace engineering.

Woodyear, 19, is on trial in U.S. District Court on charges of making and selling counterfeit money, and his pals are testifying against him.

Roderick Armstrong, 19, a Duquesne University student from Duquesne, and Vikram Yamba, 19, a community college student from Turtle Creek, have admitted to passing counterfeit money and said Woodyear was their supplier.

Both have entered federal pre-trial diversion, a program for minor offenders that will allow their records to be expunged after a year if they cooperate.

Woodyear admitted on the stand yesterday that he had printed money. He also admitted selling the bills to Yamba. But he said the whole thing was a joke and he didn't know Yamba was passing the bills.